Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper cards

Last Friday was my Crafty Friday event; a monthly class which I have managed to keep running throughout the pandemic thanks to the miracle of Zoom.

We used gorgeous Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper from the Stampin’ Up!® Jan-June Mini Catalogue, alongside some retiring cardstock (Rococo Rose and Seaside Spray), partly because it coordinates so beautifully and partly to use it up!

Our first card was this fun W-fold which is a great way to show off your lovely Designer Series Papers. For our images, we cut out the large shells from the Sand & Sea Designer Series Paper as not everyone had the stamp set, and we used our own greetings. I used Happiest of Birthdays for these samples – this is probably my most-used set of all at the moment, although I suspect it’s going to be overtaken by Biggest Wish very soon. 

 

The W-fold card uses the sea urchin design, with lots of cut-out shells on top. If you prefer, you could stamp the shells and cut them out or use the coordinating Seaside Seashells Dies. The main greeting is stamped onto a shape cut with the Stitched So Sweetly Dies, which is my new favourite set as it’s so versatile.

Inside the card I’ve left the two white panels fairly blank for a message, but you could stamp more greetings here, too if you liked.

Our second card was just a simple design. This version uses a So Saffron base and a Flirty Flamingo cardstock layer – the colours used in the Designer Series Paper – but I quickly realised I didn’t have enough of either colour for my class kits!

For this version of the card, the one we made in the class, I switched to Rococo Rose, which isn’t actually the colour used in the Sand & Sea DSP but I think it coordinates pretty well, if not better. 

I’ve started covering my card fronts with Designer Series Paper right up to the edge, as Ive done on the card on the right, below. This gives it a completely different look compared to leaving a narrow border as I usually do. Which one do you think works best?

If you are in the UK and would like to order, please visit my store and, if you use the May host code RMSS4YFY, I’ll send you a thank you gift in June.

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Cat card using Summer Days host stamp set

 

Today is Cat Herders’ Day apparently. Who knew we get a whole day to ourselves? I spend a lot of time herding cats and it’s time we had our futile efforts recognised.

To celebrate, here’s a cat-themed project using the Summer Days host stamp set. Yes I stamped all of these and coloured them in using Stampin' Blends. It was quite soothing actually. Unlike herding cats!

 

 

This stamp set could be yours FREE if you host a party or place an order which comes to £150 or more. Please get in touch about hosting as I am now taking bookings for virtual parties in the New Year. 

If you’re in the UK, please shop online using the December host code SX4NGWRH (unless you're spending over £150!). And as a thank you for using the code, I will send you a handmade card and a thank you gift.

 

Blog hop: Gilded Autumn projects

Would I like to take part in a blog hop showcasing the Gilded Autumn Suite? Yes please! This is my favourite suite from the August-December Mini Catalogue; I love autumn and love woodlands so both the colours and the images speak to me. And what were they saying? “Buy me!” of course.

 

 

These projects were made for my Crafty Friday event this month – waste not, want not! We made two cards; a W-fold card and an aperture card.

My classes are still taking place via Zoom so I’m having to provide creative ways of supplying kits which guests can add to with their own stamp sets. This time I was tardy so didn’t have time to order their optional extras of stamps and punches ahead of time so they had the unenviable task of fussy-cutting all those leaves and acorns out. I didn’t – I used the punches, which fit the images on the Gilded Autumn Designer Series Paper perfectly. 

We began with this W-fold card, decorating the front with some strategically placed Gilded Autumn Designer Series Paper and punched out images using the Autumn Punch Pack.

I used this large greeting from Happiest of Birthdays, stamping it in Mint Macaron and Early Espresso for a bit of variety. You can do this using the Stamparatus, or sponges, or simply by winging it with two ink pads. Just remember to start with the paler colour first, so you don’t cross-contaminate. 

Inside, it’s a simple case of adding some squares to a strip of cardstock, which you score in quarters. If you wish, you can download the class instructions here.

I’d sized the squares inside to fit the Stitched Shapes Dies, as I know almost all of my customers have those. But if they didn’t – or didn’t want to die-cut – they could cut them to size using a paper trimmer. I like the addition of a few popped up coloured leaves and acorns to embellish the metallic papers. 

I made two versions; one as a sample ahead of the class, then I changed things up a little on the day. Mainly because, although I am quite disorganised, even I don’t need to stockpile belated birthday cards! 

 

After the class I decided to go a step further by decorating the envelopes with some leftover strips of Designer Series Paper. This is simply a case of applying adhesive to the envelope flap, sticking it to the DSP and cutting around it carefully with scissors. 

Our second card was a simple aperture card – and the beauty of this is that you can cut any aperture in the front, depending on the dies or punches you have. 

Again, I changed the greeting on the day of the class to make a birthday card. I have lots of autumn birthdays so won’t struggle to find a suitable recipient. 

 

Cut the inside piece and hold it in place without sticking, then stamp the greeting through the aperture. This allows you to get it in position, while still giving you the opportunity to turn it over and have another go if it doesn’t stamp exactly how you planned.

I hope you have enjoyed these projects and are inspired to take a closer look at this gorgeous product suite. For more inspiration, please visit the other blogs in the hop here:

Gilded Autumn Suite - two beautiful cards for the best season of the year

 

 

It’s Monday! And let’s start the week with a look ahead to autumn, one of my favourite times of year.

Summer isn’t really my thing; I burn to a crisp in minutes and the heat just drags me down. Thankfully, not a major problem in the UK, although sadly becoming more of one. As the days shorten, I miss the long, light evenings, but I welcome the cooler weather and beautiful colours that autumn brings. 

It is no surprise, therefore, that the first products I bought from the new August-December Mini Catalogue was the whole of the Gilded Autumn Suite. I haven’t used every part of the Suite yet but I have been enjoying the Beautiful Autumn stamp set, the Autumn Punch Pack and the stunning Gilded Autumn Specialty Designer Series Paper which has beautiful copper and gold foil on some designs, such as the one you see here. 

 

I have to say, the stamps line up beautifully. They are photopolymer, which helps, and lining up the leaf and acorn centres with the outlines is really easy, although they look good offset, too, if there’s enough of a colour contrast.

For this card, I used one of my favourite Annual Catalogue stamp sets, Happiest of Birthdays. This is SUCH a great stamp set and ideal for masculine and teen cards as the greeting does all the heavy lifting for you.

Yes, this is a product-heavy card; on top of all the Gilded Autumn goodies and the Happiest of Birthdays stamp set, it uses the Stitched Rectangles Dies to create a DSP frame around the words. I’ve embellished the frame using those beautiful stamped and punched leaves and acorns.

 

 

When it came to the second card, I had a bit of a wobble about my acorns, and decided the colours should be the other way round. Green cap, brown acorn. Then I checked with my husband, a keen naturalist (I said naturalist!!!!) and he confirmed that either is fine as they change colour over the course of the season. 

 

 

This little Very Vanilla Notecard used up some leftover punched pieces and DSP, and the Stitched Shapes Dies. It’s always great to be able to product a second card from the bits left on your craft table, isn’t it? 

 

I love the colours, the crispness and the images... yes I know I shouldn’t say so myself but why not? I made a card and I love it. If you receive this – or indeed the first card – in the post, you know you’re pretty high up in my estimation!

To get the three-colour greeting, I used the Stamparatus. Always start with the palest colour... inking the top of the stamp using your ink pad or sponges, or even a brayer if that’s easier.

Stamp it using the Stamparatus and then, without moving the cardstock (held down with the magnet), ink up with the next colour. It can be difficult to do this using an ink pad, and can give you a harsh line, which is where the sponges, sponge daubers or brayer come in handy. Even if you manage it with an ink pad, the sponge can soften the line. Stamp and repeat with the darkest colour at the bottom.

Using the Stamparatus allows you to avoid any gaps and go back and add more colour where required.